In order to promote portability and reduce required storage space, conventional portable electronic devices, such as Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), are not generally equipped with conventional keyboards. As the demand for inputting large amount of data increases, external keyboards are one solution to problems of slow input speed and inconvenient data input. However, one issue with external keyboards relates to physically supporting the palm-size and lightweight PDA typically designed for hand-held use. When the PDA is put on a table, the PDA is not typically supported vertically, and the display angle may be difficult to adjust according to user's need. A support device for supporting the portable electronic device was therefore developed to integrate with the external keyboard.
Conventional support devices are generally affixed to the external keyboards, so that the portable electronic device can be supported in an appropriate position, such as the middle of the rear side of the keyboard, which is generally the position most suitable for user to operate the PDA and keyboard ergonomically. Though the affixed support device provides a favorable operation position, it hinders the reduction of keyboard size. For example, the affixed support device is not suitable for the application of foldable keyboard. Therefore, the conventional foldable keyboard is generally equipped with a support device affixed on one side of the keyboard sacrificing the convenience of operation. When the foldable keyboard is expanded for use, the support device is not in the most suitable operation position for users but on one side of the keyboard. Consequently, the user cannot operate the keyboard ergonomically resulting in the reduction of input speed.
Therefore, there is a need to provide an input apparatus with a movable support device so that the input apparatus can be minimized when not in use and also provide the support device for supporting an additional electronic device at a predetermined position when in operation.